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The Nation's Pulse
The Cult of Adolescence
Obama cultivates the backing of the something for nothing generation.
Never underestimate the human proclivity for wanting more, and wanting it for free. President Obama is building his re-election campaign around that theme. “Obama money” doesn’t exist, but our 44th president will do everything in his power to convince Americans that everyone deserves the trappings of a middle-class lifestyle, only achieved if we return to a 90-percent tax bracket for the wealthiest among us.
It’s a cult of adolescence. Teenagers demand the privileges of adulthood without paying for it. Parents provide a car, and teenagers wreck it; parents hand over a credit card, and teenagers spend like profligates. It’s human nature. By the same token, a large share of voters in the United States feel entitled to the fruit of their neighbors’ labor, and they select public officials accordingly.
The cult of adolescence is seen most abundantly among Millennials, many of whom are languishing in their 20s without a clear direction in life, either personally or financially. Not to be outdone by their Baby Boomer parents, Generation Y is supplanting the midlife crisis with a massive quarter-life crisis.
Some Millennials don’t want to be stuck in neutral, but a poor economy and poor upbringing have set the stage for it. The rest are content to lull through their 20s, continually in search of the next drink, party, and thrill.
It’s a demographic and generational shift never before encountered in the United States. In past generations of the 20th century, the average man in his mid-20s already had the responsibilities of adult life: A job, and a wife and child to support. That was good for society, because a man’s natural aggressiveness was tempered and channeled toward nobler ends.
Not so anymore. Robin Marantz Henig, writing in the New York Times Magazine in 2010, writes about the shifting landscape in the West:
We’re in the thick of what one sociologist calls “the changing timetable for adulthood.” Sociologists traditionally define the “transition to adulthood” as marked by five milestones: completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child. In 1960, 77 percent of women and 65 percent of men had, by the time they reached 30, passed all five milestones. Among 30-year-olds in 2000, according to data from the United States Census Bureau, fewer than half of the women and one-third of the men had done so. A Canadian study reported that a typical 30-year-old in 2001 had completed the same number of milestones as a 25-year-old in the early '70s.
Sociologist Michael Kimmel echoes that research in his book Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men. He writes:
The passage between adolescence and adulthood has morphed from a transitional moment to a separate life stage. Adolescence starts earlier and earlier, and adulthood starts later and later. This stage — call it “the odyssey years” as does New York Times columnist David Brooks, or “adultolescence,” or “young adulthood” — now encompasses up to two full decades, beginning at puberty and ending around one’s 30th birthday. Everyone knows that 30 is the new 20. But it’s equally true these days that 12 is the new 20.
There are legitimate reasons for the dawn of perpetual adolescents. One is rising education expectations. With the advent of graduate school becoming a near necessity for young adults, many college students won’t graduate until their mid-20s. Even students who only get an undergraduate degree tend to spend five or six years earning it, putting the finishing point in the same range.
That fact of life aside, modern changes, mixed with the unparalleled wealth of the United States, have allowed twentysomethings to enjoy a second adolescence in a way that past generations could not. But it’s a pandemic of immaturity that our society can scarcely afford.
From an economic standpoint, men in their 20s who languish in unending boyhood severely damage their future earning and career prospects. From a social standpoint, such men harm women, and the children produced by their often out-of-wedlock relations, by shrugging off the responsibilities of adulthood.
That lack of coming-of-age fits in nicely with the Obama
paradigm, however. It’s little wonder, then, that Millennials are
among Obama’s most loyal supporters. The allure of getting
something for nothing is too great a
temptation.
About the Author
David N. Bass is a journalist who writes from the Old North State. Follow him on Twitter.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (95) | Leave a comment
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Nancy in NC| 12.16.11 @ 7:08AM
Great article, David. It takes someone young like you to point this out without sounding like an old fogie. More proof to your point is "children" remaining on their parents insurance policy until age 26 under Obamacare. Obama wants to reinforce the bad behavior and slow the maturation of young adults.
This does not bode well for the future of our country, and we are already paying a heavy price.
Alan Brooks| 12.17.11 @ 5:33PM
The two ultimate something-for-nothings are Karl Rove and Dick Cheney, who wasted 8 years with their sterile compassionate (buying votes) conservatism. And you'll do it again; you'll vote in other pudgy old farts to waste 4-8 years so they can write their memoirs as to:
'What I Would Have Done Had I Been POTUS Instead Of Chief Bootlicker'
noooobama| 5.7.12 @ 7:28PM
Interesting that those who see themselves as morally superior consistently see people as colors, sexes, beliefs, or ages...and aren't shy about showing it, which means they don't even see the irony. And I thought hipsters were the experts in irony.
VonMisesJr| 12.16.11 @ 7:10AM
My father, G-d rest his soul, always had two jobs and a third during tax season. He was born in the depression of Scot descent with the Protestant Ethic. He used to joke that "the grandsons were not afraid of work. They could go to sleep right next to it."
He did not give us an allowance, he gave us jobs. At sixteen, I worked contract work for the company he managed. We were able to afford to pay our son's tuition, but I only paid for "A's" and "B's" and he worked for his spending money. And in the summers, he read Hayek, Levin, Laffer and was quizzed before his tutition was paid.
He graduated summa cum laude and just started a job as a Jr. Auditor working towards his CPA. Thanks for the great lessons, dad, and Merry Christmas.
c. j. acworth| 12.16.11 @ 7:38AM
I remember when I first asked my Dad if I could have an allowance. I was around 8 at the time as I recall. He looked at me with an expression of total shock, as if I had just pulled a snake out of my ear or something and said, "Allowance?! You had breakfast this morning didn't you?"
Brian Mc| 12.16.11 @ 8:36AM
Nice, c.j.
My younger brothers, and I would fight over the shovels after a good snow and spread out over the neigborhood to earn some spending money. With dad gone and our mother busting her hump to keep our heads above water, we never considered allowance an option open to us.
"I came to get me some Obamamoney"...how can one sleep after such utterances? It truly escapes my grasp that someone would feel no shame, or lack the pride to keep themselves from uttering such monstrosities.
VonMisesJr| 12.16.11 @ 7:02PM
Merry Christmas c.j. and Brian.
Liberals hate G-d even more than they hate work and responsibility.
Our dad's are or would be proud they passed on American Exceptionalism.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:39PM
And what about you? Have you avoided hard work in your life?
Darin| 12.16.11 @ 7:17AM
The millenials and like-minded individuals need to be given a clear message. No one owes them anything, and the only thing they have a right to is a chance. If they squander that chance, it goes to someone else. Life isn't fair. Deal with it.
TrueBlue| 12.16.11 @ 1:03PM
"Ooooh, I owe the world a living..." **violin playing**
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:40PM
That's what the occupy movement is all about - when the deck is stacked against you by the connected and the elected, you don't have a fair chance, do you?
Protesting is completely American and constitutional, so deal with that.
runningdeer| 12.19.11 @ 2:00AM
The" connected and the elected". Well you have shown me what I have been thinking about these occupiers is right. They remind me of the hippy movement from the 60's. Except that these are lazier and whine more. As for elected, if they vote at all, they probably helped put this president in office and must support him as he has been supporting them. As for your statement that "the cards are stacked against you", that sounds like white man gonna keep tha black man down sort of talk. Pure whine and whittling away time instead of being productive. Blame everyone except yourself mentality. The poor poor pitiful me bunch!
melos| 12.20.11 @ 6:36PM
Oh yes, because black people never had anything to complain about.
The occupiers stand for many different things. Some things you may even support, unless you like corporations influencing congress and swaying the vote.
new in the neighborhood| 5.7.12 @ 7:35PM
I'm sure the black race is thrilled to have a dirty, non-working, pooping-on-cop-cars group of grasping and greedy kids promoting themselves as saviors of the black race. I'm even more sure they'd appreciate it if you'd stick to denigrating "rich people" (except barak and michelle, warren buffett, bill gates, jeffrey inmelt, john kerry, the kenndys, oprah, etc) and let them stand up for themselves, as other adults do.
cowgirl| 12.16.11 @ 9:30AM
Somebody tell me the difference between Obama and the millenials besides about 30 years in age difference......
Anthony| 12.16.11 @ 9:36AM
The millenials do their business on police cars. Obozo does his on America.
Skippy| 12.16.11 @ 4:11PM
Great.
Now I have to clean my screen.
Classic!
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:41PM
How high class of you!
Dave | 12.16.11 @ 9:50AM
- A Letter from PeePah -
Dear, granddaughter:
I am replying to your request for more money. Britney, you know I love you dearly and am sympathetic to your financial plight. Unfortunately, times have changed. With the election of President Obama, your Grandmother and I have had to set forth a bold new economic plan of our own....the 'Britney Economic Plan'. Let me explain. Your grandmother and I are highly productive, wage-earning tax payers. As you know, we have lived a comfortable life and in return have forgone many things like fancy vacations, luxury cars, etc. We have worked hard and were looking forward to retiring soon. But this plan has changed. Your president is significantly raising our personal and business taxes. He says it is so he can give our hard earned money to other people. Do you know what this means, Brit? It means less income for us. Less income means we must cut back on many business and personal expenditures. One example is, we were forced to let go of our receptionist today. You know her. She always gave you candy when you visited my office. Did you know she worked for us for the past 18 years? I can't afford her anymore.
That is a taste of the business side. Some personal economic effects of Mr. Obama's new taxation policies include none other than you. You know very well that over the years your grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in cash, tuition assistance, food, housing, clothing, gifts, etc., etc. By your vote, you have chosen another family over ours for help. Judging from your Email requesting more money, I recommend you call 202-456-1111. That is the direct telephone number for the White House. You yourself repeatedly told me I was foolish vote Republican. You said Mr. Obama is going to be the people's president and is going to help every American live a better life. Based upon everything you have told me and things we heard from him as he campaigned, I am sure Mr. Obama will be happy to send a check or transfer money into your checking account. Have him call me for the transaction and account numbers, which by now I know by heart.
Perhaps you now can understand what I have been saying for all my life: those who vote for the president should consider what the impact of an election will be on the nation as a whole, and not just be concerned with what they can get for themselves (welfare, etc.). What Mr.Obama voters don't seem to realize is all of the "government's" money he is 'redistributing' to illegal aliens and non-taxpaying Americans (deemed "less fortunate") comes from tax money collected from income tax-paying families. Remember how you told me, "Only the richest of the rich will be affected"? Guess what, honey? Because of our business, your Grandmother and I are now considered to be the richest of the rich. On paper, it might look that way. But in the real world, we are far from it. But, as you said while campaigning for Obama, some people will have to carry more of the burden so all of America can prosper. You understand what that means, right? It means that raising taxes on productive people results in them having less money. Less money for everything, including granddaughters.
Congratulations on your choice for "change". For future reference, I encourage you to attempt to add up the total value of the gifts and money you've received from us over the years, and compare it to what you expect to get over the next four years from Mr. Obama.
Remember, we love you dearly... but from now on you'll need to call the number referenced above when you need help.
Good luck, my dear.
Author - Unknown.
Buck Ofama| 12.16.11 @ 10:35AM
>- A Letter from PeePah -
What the FVCK is a "PeePah"? Stopped reading after that.
scotchieguy| 12.16.11 @ 12:04PM
Maybe you should have continued reading...you might have actually learned something.
Jobe| 12.16.11 @ 12:49PM
Too bad you stopped. You could have learned something.
no more chances, BO| 5.7.12 @ 7:39PM
It is so appreciated when young people use their minds and really make their points in ways that can not be debated. Thank you.
Atom&Yves;| 12.18.11 @ 3:08PM
Shamelessly copying that for future use. Thank you, for sharing it.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:44PM
What a selfish way to end the story - if they tax us rich b*'s, we'll have less money to give you. That's the first thing they cut back on - their granddaughter? What slime.
But you can save your taxes, just cut back on defense like Ron Paul says - in 1 year our deficit would be gone and y'all can shut up.
runningdeer| 12.19.11 @ 2:05AM
No, not slime. Realistic. After overspending on an ungrateful idiot, they decided to let her ask her hero. The jerk she voted for who has slimed this nation.
Tired of the Statists| 5.7.12 @ 7:41PM
There must be a reading comprehension problem involved here. The grandparents did not "cut back" on their grandaugher at all, let alone first (remember the receptionist). Read it again. They simply do not have the extra money now to send.
Timothy L. Pennell| 12.16.11 @ 9:57AM
Is anyone SURPRISED? Has he ever had a REAL JOB? News Flash: He was NEVER a Professor of the Constitution, or anything else. He was a "Guest Speaker" (When he wasn't being charged with Sexual Harassment, by other Men at the Harvard Newspaper) That's it.
He's been a Street Hustler, a Rabble Rouser, and an Organizer of SCUM. He's been a Bag Man for the Chicago Machine, and an Errand Boy for Jeremiah Wright. He's never had a 9 to 5. An 8 to 4. Or an 11 to 7. He's never had a JOB.
He has no desire for anyone to GROW UP, or to BE RESPONSIBLE. That's not how one gets Votes, from Democrat Voters. Why do you think that the Party of the KKK gets all of the Black Vote, every Election? How does the Party of JIM CROWE get all of the Black Vote, every Election?
SLOTH is one of the 7 Deadly Sins. It is the #1 Cause of Obesity, in this Country. We are the ONLY Country, where THE POOR are the FATTEST people.
Interesting.
FREE, is a Drug. FREE MONEY, is an Addiction. Obama wants nothing more than to give you FREE MONEY. He's always fighting to get people FREE MONEY. He is PAVLOV. The Money is FOOD. Those he seeks to make Dependent upon it, are Pavlov's drooling DOG.
He, and those like him, are like the MORLOCKS, of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. They keep the Machines running all the time, from their caves underground, as we - The Eloi - lie in the Sun all day, eating fruits and berries, until the Siren Sounds, and we are drawn in to Morlock Caves, where we are CONSUMED.
5o Years of Progressives controlling the Education Apparattus, in this Country, has accomplished what H.G. Wells was only Fantasizing about. But, all is not Lost.
All we need is a guy in a Time Machine, from the Past.
Interesting.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:48PM
The President talks about sacrifice and responsibility all the time. You people didn't respond to him early in his presidency, so now he's sticking it to you, and you don't like that either. It's clear it's him and his blackness you don't like. We had many of the same problems we have today under Bush, but you didn't b* and moan then - oh, except Bin Laden is DEAD, thanks to President Obama, and the Iraq war has ENDED, also thanks to President Obama. If you don't have enough money, don't blame the President - "Blame Yo'self" ...
runningdeer| 12.19.11 @ 2:13AM
The war was skeduled to end during the Bush sdministration . As for Ben Laden, when they went to Obama and told him they had him, do you really believe that he could do anything else but tell them to go ahead? Get real. He did what he had to do . But they were watching Ben Laden for a long while before Obama was elected. Obama did not serve in the military nor did he pull the trigger that took Ben Laden out. Our Military people did that. So where do you get off saying that Obama did it? As for ' hateing him for his color", are you so blind that you haven't noticed that he is half white? I hate that half to. So I suppose that is (in your opinion) racist!
Talking points rule| 5.7.12 @ 7:46PM
All right -- Got the mention of race in in the first 3 sentences of the post! Not a new record, but good going anyway.
And the Seals certainly thank obama for getting rid of osama; they were thinkin' they might have to do it themselves. Betcha Jose Rodriguez, who helped crack the case, is grateful for all obama's hard work in getting him, too.
Petronius| 12.16.11 @ 9:59AM
Liberals have converted what was a "social disease", arrested development, into a religion: Peter Pantheism. Their messiah is chief of state in this country that while physically whole, is hopelessly divided. These telepromptubbies eagerly await more agitation to "get in our faces" demanding what little remains of middle America's wealth to subsidize their sloth and all their other deficiencies. The sad fact is, there are not enough real adults left to kick their infantile asses and make them learn and behave as such. Their teachers are like them; still under age in their heads and hearts. This can change only two ways. Either we get rid of Liberalism as a dominant cultural force, or we hit bottom when there's nothing left for these parasites to take and depression and civil war follow. Pick one!
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:51PM
In spite of your ridiculous screed - you DO know who has amassed the wealth that the middle class has lost, don't you? the 1% have increased their wealth 250% over the last 30 years, while the middle class has stagnated or fallen a few % in wealth. Unless you are part of the 1%, you're moaning about the wrong people. GW Bush gave more of your money to the 1% than anyone, and you just stood there looking stupid. But, NOW you're upset - why?
Anonymous| 5.7.12 @ 7:57PM
Don't the obama fan-boys ever get tired of blaming everything on someone who hasn't been in the public eye for 3 years now?
And when they count up the money given away, they always forget obama's slush fund (what per cent of that "stimulus" is still unspent?) Anyway, it's magical, how money just appears from nowhere, like when congress said no to the 1.5 billion for the muslim brotherhood, but it got sent anyway.
David W| 12.16.11 @ 10:07AM
One major problem is the adolescent culture promoted by the entertainment and sports industries. I catch glimpses of some of the sports shows - 30 year olds competing in skate board and bicycle motocross events. Look at how many of the athletes behave. As they are being introduced or when they make a big score do they act like adults or old teenagers? Look at some of the TV shows and movies and what they seem to promote? Maturity and rational thinking are not high on their list.
Seek| 12.16.11 @ 3:45PM
I thought "The Adjustment Bureau" and the "X-Men" movies promote rational thinking.
Buck Ofama| 12.16.11 @ 10:40AM
>men in their 20s who languish in unending boyhood severely damage their future earning and career prospects ... such men harm women, and the children produced by their often out-of-wedlock relations, by shrugging off the responsibilities of adulthood.
No sh|t. My 26 yr old stepdaughter, an M.E. gubmint skool teecher, got knocked up by one of these 26 yr old video gamers that she knew from high school. Mr. Maturity has an incomplete "masters degree" from an unaccredited bible college, is underemployed at Lowe's and has no interest in his new crumb snatcher.
Now teacher-mom gets to do all the work and foot all the bills for lying down with this worthless stinking pile of failure called a "man".
TrueBlue| 12.16.11 @ 1:06PM
In all fairness, she made the mistake too. Takes two to tango.
Aiken_Bob| 12.18.11 @ 9:25PM
last time I checked it takes two to create a baby. Years ago, my generation, the knock up girl father who have taken up a shotgun. Sounds like you have a problem............
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:53PM
hey, she made her bed, at 26, she's no kid... life's not fair, but she made the choice to take him inside. I feel sorry for the kid, not the parents.
SUBVET| 12.19.11 @ 6:26PM
Where were all thoes "life lessons" by her parrents?......OH you said "stepdaughter".
Richard McNally| 12.16.11 @ 11:25AM
Very good article. But you might be interested in reading "The Prodigal Parents", a novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1938. It covers the same subject nicely.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:54PM
That's funny ... 1938 had holier-than-thous too... hahaha.
Gracie| 12.19.11 @ 4:41PM
Woops Perp, you dropped your pacifier.
Richard McNally| 12.16.11 @ 11:25AM
Very good article. But you might be interested in reading "The Prodigal Parents", a novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1938. It covers the same subject nicely.
Greg| 12.16.11 @ 12:03PM
As a conservative I want to say that articles like these are what made Millennials sprint towards liberal Democrats! If we lose this generation democratic socialism will overtake America. But rather than try to win it over, I see tons of these idiotic articles whining about and criticizing an entire generation as immature slackers. There is nothing liberals could do to damage conservatism as much as articles like this! While you are making yourself feel superior by condescending and complaining about those damn kids these days, they get the message that you hate them and go vote for liberals!
The economy is terrible. People stay in school longer. And yes more young people these days are deciding to enjoy their 20s and build some financial security before having children. There is nothing immoral about deciding to have children at 30. Your holier than thou cranky whining only reflects on your inability to accept that just because someone lives their life a bit differently doesn't mean they are bad people. Christianity teaches love and acceptance. So I suggest that Christian conservatives stop this self-destructive impulse to be judgemental and push Generation Y away or they will end up in the arms of socialists, changing America for the worst forever. Start thinking about how you teach young people about free markets and liberty instead!
Jobe| 12.16.11 @ 1:12PM
Greg, my dear fellow, there is plenty wrong with having children at 30 if I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM! I went to Christian schools and one of the things I learned was that the Lord helps those who help themselves. If you are trying to help yourself, I am more than happy to help you. You are most obviously NOT trying to help yourself if you are living in a tent on someone else' property whining about n0t having a chance.
Furthermore, we will not keep this generation by accomodating their laziness and lack of personal responsibility. I have logged 45 years in high school classrooms and I can tell you where we went wrong, when we went wrong, and what it is costing us. So save your prattle for someone who is stupid enough to fall for it.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:55PM
"I have logged 45 years in high school classrooms and I can tell you where we went wrong, when we went wrong, and what it is costing us. " - Please, enlighten us, for how else can we mend our ways?
TrueBlue| 12.16.11 @ 1:42PM
Try talking to them, it's the equivalent of talking to a child with their fingers in their ears screaming, "I can't hear you!" I've tried, I even ask them why they think the way they do, and give them facts to show where that thinking is untrue, but they don't want to hear it. You can even give them books to read from both sides of the aisle so they can make an informed decision, the majority of the time they won't even do that.
It starts in school, public or private school really makes little difference. The parents, teachers, AND kid needs to be willing to succeed. In many cases the parent(s) can only do so much, these days they're busy making sure there is a home and food on the table. So a good portion of it falls on the willingness of the child to learn (based on parents doing as much as possible to stress its importance and helping when they can) and the teacher's willingness to teach. Far too many classes when I was in high school had teachers with attitudes like, "Read this lesson, it's your job to learn it. Homework is page XX, due tomorrow," and they're only getting worse now. The majority have no reason to do a good job, they've got tenure and can't be fired. At the same time, parents DO need to get more involved and not elect people to the School Board that have no wish to change anything. Show up to the PTA meetings, Open House, and Parent/Teacher Conferences. Make sure the principal and teachers understand what you expect from them.
Slacker| 12.16.11 @ 2:18PM
I could not agree more Greg.
Bass pigeonholes young singles as freeloaders with a sense of entitlement because he doesn’t like their lifestyle.
The millennials are hardly getting something for nothing. Most are not eligible for unemployment benefits. They don’t collect any current entitlements.
The single male gets zero tax breaks. The self righteous family man benefits from lower tax rates and numerous tax breaks (even purchasing child care with pretax dollars). Who exactly is benefitting from the fruit of their neighbors labor?
The stay at home mother earns zero taxable income (yes, I know her labor is valued in other ways). The single woman works and pays taxes (through the nose). Who is contributing more the economy?
Too many social conservatives have an inner need to sneer at anyone who thinks or lives life a bit differently.
Adulthood exists outside marriage. Young single adults pay their share and then some.
Bill| 12.16.11 @ 4:21PM
The single man doesn't get Earned Income Credit on his income taxes?
How does a family man get a lower tax rate? Help me out on that one. How is it a benefit to pay for child care with pretax dollars?
The fact that a stay-at-home mother isn't employed at a job whose income is taxable doesn't change that fact that she doesn't make any income either; I don't really see much of an advantage there. And the single woman, should she be supported before she gets married, is that the extremely sexist stance you're assuming?
Who is contributing more the economy, the "unemployed" mother who is raising tomorrow's wage earners or the employed single woman? Depends on your perspective, don't you think?
Slacker| 12.16.11 @ 5:56PM
I wasn’t thinking about the earned income credit but, no the single man doesn't get as much.
But, first let us consider the standard deduction. It is $5,800 for a single earner, $8,500 for a head of household, and $11,600 for married couples. Single filers pay the most tax for any given income bracket. A stay at home mom gets a tax handout.
The same holds for the earned income credit. The qualifying income limit rises with the number of children as does the maximum credit. Again, single people pay the largest percentage of their income in taxes -even at the poverty level.
I understand there are social reasons for giving families a financial advantage and I’m not arguing for or against it.
What I take exception to is Mr. Bass insinuating that young adults who delay starting families are irresponsible freeloaders. It simply isn’t true. Single adults pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes than their married counterparts (in the same income bracket). They are the farthest thing from freeloaders.
As for the bozos living their parent’s basement: They are freeloading off their parents, not society. It is hardly our business. Young married couples take help from their parents too.
This article is a jumbled together hit piece on single adult males. It is perfectly acceptable for social conservatives to be proud of their lifestyle but, how unfortunate they feel the need to belittle singles.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:58PM
This was a very insightful, lucid discussion of what clearly is not a real problem for society. Thank you for bringing reason to the table to dispute, as you say "a jumbled together hit piece on single adult males."
Bill| 12.16.11 @ 3:34PM
I'm OK with every word of that post. Just don't expect to live in my basement and have me pay for the utilities and groceries while you hold on to a part-time toy job, hang with your friends, give them keys to my house, come home in the middle of the night, and at the age of 26 or 27 pretend you're still 15.
Bill| 12.16.11 @ 4:07PM
If your generation is going to vote socialist because you don't like the older generations bitching about your freeloading ways, I'm glad that my life is entering its sunset years, and I hope you get what you're after under the socialism you vote for.
Slacker| 12.16.11 @ 6:15PM
I’m not a millennial and you don’t need to worry about me voting socialist. What you should be worrying about is all the people put off by the cultural conservatives. Pieces like this are bad for our side. Yes, I am on your side.....rather your like it or not.
Aiken_Bob| 12.18.11 @ 9:35PM
The really sad part of this slacker is truth hurts. If you can't face the truth then you will dance around it and in the end fail. The human condition is well known and hasn't changed in the last few thousand years. Being a slacker is being a loser!
Bill| 12.19.11 @ 1:42PM
And while you're at it, should you deign to put your dirty tableware in the dishwasher the money from my dirty labors in the -no! Don't say it!- markets bought, instead of leaving the dirty item lying in the sink waiting for me to load it, put the silverware business-end up so that when you conveniently forget to empty the dishwasher and I do it, I can at least have the benefit of being able to organize things right from the beginning...
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:59PM
I sure am glad you're about to sunset... the sooner the better and we can take our country back from the self-centered, selfish, nasty right-wing elderly.
Bill| 12.19.11 @ 1:44PM
Ah, this is why age should defer to youth; it is so much kinder...
Gracie| 12.19.11 @ 4:57PM
...and the trash will pile up....and there won't be anyone left to pay taxes....and there will be no military to defend the Country from attacks....no one left to work and provide you with freebies.... Take your Country back?? You gave it away to the most recent liberal that promised you utopia. I don't see your progressive heroes driving themselves to work in their Prius cars. More like they are being driven to the airplane to take yet another vacation at our expense. If you want to see "self-centered, selfish and nasty" you need look no further than your own race-baiting, entitlement loving, class warring progressive party.
melos| 12.20.11 @ 6:45PM
Obama is far from liberal, and further from progressive. He's in the middle.
Just because he's more liberal than you doesn't mean he's liberal.
Jobe| 12.16.11 @ 2:00PM
Have you ever had the parents of a kid who sleeps in your class, does no work, takes no notes, fails to study, and cuts whenever he can call you at home to ask "What can my boy do to raise his grade?"
Have you ever been told by the principal that you must make up 2 tests so that you can give a second test to those who fail the first one, and that you may not give anyone a grade lower than a 50%?
After you have experienced a few of these, you will come to a full realization of how far our educational system has slid down hill.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:02PM
And, what did you answer ?
My answers would be -
raise grade - Nothing, it's too late, his lazy, doesn't do his homework. But did you inform his parents - if not, YOU are part of the problem.
Make up 2 tests - No, I don't. I gave the test and they failed, period. And I don't give grades based on threats.
Tell us - what did YOU say?
melos| 12.20.11 @ 6:46PM
The teacher would say goodbye on her way out the door from being fired.
Oldefarte| 12.16.11 @ 4:36PM
The worthless little excrements of the current generation are slowely destroying this country. Their 4-6 years spent being socialistically brainwashed by their college professors result in the typical OWS crowd now defaceting on public streets, while the more responsible senior-class is thereafter required to clean up their mess. The colleges/universities continuously spit out moronic art major dummies incapable and undesiring of acquiring/maintaining a job. If this country does not begin to apply the societal brakes of this situation soon, we will preceed off of the cliff to economic destruction!!!!!!!
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:05PM
Oh, the Tea Party Crowd that spits on Congressmen, or knocks a handicapped man out of his wheelchair is so much better? The young people are just that - young. What's the Old Tea Partiers excuse? And, why are they so activated when a black man is President? They were nowhere when GW Bush was running up the debt - more than any president in history - still.
Shoot| 12.19.11 @ 10:05PM
Purp, those things never happened except in the atrophied recesses of libs' minds. Andrew Breitbart even offered $100,000 for a video of the alleged spitting incident. In this day and age, with so many I-phones and such, no one could produce such a video? Strange, wouldn't you say? You gotta have something better than that.
bugle boy| 12.16.11 @ 5:00PM
"This [country] can change only two ways. Either we get rid of Liberalism as a dominant cultural force, or we hit bottom when there's nothing left for these parasites to take and depression and civil war follow. Pick one!"
This is true. So very, very true. Mark Steyn could not have said it better himself.
melos| 12.20.11 @ 6:48PM
Heil the Furer! I might as well say it now, if your vision comes to life.
Keith| 12.16.11 @ 5:02PM
And when the Greater Depression hits, it is these self-willed young people who won't want to face the hard reality that real work involves sweat equity, sacrifice and pulling together for the sake of both family and nation. In my day we had to grow food to get by, cut wood and cherish every family member, both young and old. Life wasn't just about us.
Delta Zelda| 12.16.11 @ 8:20PM
My Mom and Dad lived through the Depression and were not strangers to hard work. Producing most of their food meant they didn’t go hungry. My 23-year old niece informed me last week that she can farm in real life because she’s farmed on Farmville. I didn’t even try to make her see reality.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:07PM
When it hits? WE are in the Great Depression II, whether we know it now or not.
But let me ask you - when there are no jobs, how to sweat and sacrifice? And, why cannot the wealthiest sacrifice cash along with our sweat? Hmmm?
Richard Baker| 12.16.11 @ 5:28PM
The generation "occupying" is recycling the old, tired rhetoric of the '60s with the core of it being sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, as it was then. Since they grew up at the knee of the tired '60s hippies/radicals/losers, that would be expected, I suppose.
Jacob R| 12.17.11 @ 8:12AM
So how did your hero generation produce the 60s if the demon is solely with your kids?
Maybe you guys could help us if you stopped BSing. The idiot who wrote this article forgets to tell us who thought up the idea of abandoning your kids to Nintendo and then wanting to suddenly reappear years later to tell them what horrible Xbox monsters they are. Who taught us to abandon the sowing but still expect the reaping?
You guys are literally trying to blame us for not raising ourselves right. As if we're to blame for your horrible parenting skills.
Meanwhile there are less wife beating alcohol abusers than this guy's romanticized childhood. But that obviously wouldn't fit his narrative and he's not so much about the virtues he's whining about, just making sure that everyone knows its not his fault or his friends'!
Aiken_Bob| 12.18.11 @ 9:47PM
I sure that there is some logic in this but I fail to find any logic. Not sure who screwed up more -- the feel good groupies that gave us the progressives we have now, or the conservative who didn't stand up and spank the kid that was whining. In any event you will have to deal with it our generation is going on and you will either have to stand up or just fail. It's a shame that the great American experience will end with some whining brats in their 50's.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:12PM
What you're really seeing is the young people backlash against the conservative - my way or the highway mentality - point of view. The baby boomers have controlled this conservative period since Reagan's days, and the country is revolting against it ... President Obama is just the start. It will take some time, but your conservative principles of right-wing social engineering is coming to an end. Of course, it's uncomfortable for you and you will lash out, just like the baby boomers parents did in the '60s ... But it will do no good, because the younger generations will supplant you Baby Boomers and put justice, fairness and equality front and center. Your selfish, me generation attitudes are falling by the wayside. You better hold onto Social Security and Medicare - you're gonna need it!
Gracie| 12.19.11 @ 4:02PM
Wow, so it is every other American's fault when you make a conscious choice to trade away your personal liberty and responsibilities for a Nintendo? An iphone? For not having to take a bath? How old ARE you?? Grow up already. Your heroes in the government have absolutely no intention of sharing their standard of living with you. They just simply want to decide how everyone else will live. You are their "useful idiot."
melos| 12.20.11 @ 6:51PM
Funny thing about the sixties. A large sector of the population got rights, and there was a huge shift in culture to the left. Only fitting after the McCarthyism of the 50s. We're coming out of our own McCarthy era. Instead of communists, we have terrorists. And if we're pissed off about broken promises, so what?
Renard| 12.16.11 @ 10:35PM
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits said it best years ago - "Money for nothing and your chicks for free". The MTV generation back then was bad enough, but now we've got the do-nothing "Occupy" generation! Sheeesh!
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:17PM
If you think they are doing nothing, you don't know anything.
Bill| 12.19.11 @ 1:48PM
Yeah, he's twisting by the pool.
POST American| 12.16.11 @ 11:23PM
----------------BLAST FROM THE PAST------------------
"Understand, the whole 'teen culture' thing
was brought in after WWII and was entirely the
creation of the EUGENICS agenda. The very
terms 'teen' 'kids' and 'dating' were all contrived,
and skilfully introduced into culture via the
EUGENICS servers at the Tavistock Institute,
Stanford Research et al ---ALLLL funded by
the foundations and USURERS. ALLL to
destroy the genuine culture of courtship,
fertility and family once and for all."
--------------------------------WISE UP KIDDIES!
---------------HUAC/ NEW-remberg 2012------------
WISE UP FAST--------!
Tenn Slim| 12.18.11 @ 7:43AM
Eugenics.... Indeed. A concept straight out of the 19th Century.
Those of us who have lived thru and long enough to grasp the evils of Eugenics, in all of its forms, understand the underpinnings of the "teen Culture".
There are basically 2 forces contending for each and everyone of our lives. Good, Evil.
We have the Freedom of Choice, admittedly, fast being undermined by such as the latest DOD bill.
Watch your six.
Semper FI
Jacob R| 12.17.11 @ 8:05AM
You're an absolute joker.
My father was addicted to coke and alcohol until his late twenties.
I have never touched coke or had a problem with alcohol.
You know why we're "stuck in neutral"? We have some of the most lazy pagan sex and youth obsessed hypocrite parents in history!
Forgive me if I don't take you seriously after your generation has been telling mine that we ruined your America since we were eight years old. Maybe that's why YOUR generation aborted so many of us!
(I'd probably be happily married if you or one of your hero boomer friends hadn't aborted my wife!)
Mike Hawk| 12.17.11 @ 11:15AM
Soory about your father, but quit blaming him and the rest of us. Most of us have not done drugs nor are not alcoholics. We are fighting the Liberals who are trying to destroy the civil society and do indulge drugs or sanction it. Grow up and get out of the dark and looking for excuses.
Tenn Slim| 12.18.11 @ 7:39AM
Your comment on the parents that raised you.
OK. We get it. They were adult failures.
That failure is not transmitted genetically. You, and you alone, determine your future.
You have the same choices.
The folks here get it. Now you need to get it.
Individualism, freedom, liberty and justice that you operate with, are the keys to making decisions.
Time to achieve your adulthood.
Semper FI
Aiken_Bob| 12.18.11 @ 9:51PM
well said
JimmyMac| 12.17.11 @ 8:23AM
At age 16, my father worked in the oil fields through the summer into his junior year in high school and was able to pay off the mortgage on his parent's farm.
He worked his way through college and had a successful career, the fruits of which we, his children and grandchildren still enjoy. Dad found joy in hard work and each evening, after leaving his office, would change into his farm clothes and work his one-acre "garden" until the sun set. What a difference between his generation and this current one.
Jones in CO | 12.17.11 @ 8:44AM
We're doomed.
I see the teens and 20-somethings at the convenience store with their nose piercings and skateboards and think- my God, these idiots will be running the country in 20-30 years. I'm glad I won't live to see The Final Collapse.
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 11:18PM
Me too.
POST American| 12.17.11 @ 11:13PM
--------------------------BTW!-----------------------------
What does anyone think about the government
passing the NDAA on the very 222 Anniuversary
of the ratification of the Bill of Rights?
American citizens to be searched, siezed,
off-shored and 'disappeared' ---by law!
-----The ENTIRE world is talking about this-----
REMEMBER, there's been NO other country
--in history! to put such an authorization
on the books --EXCEPT NORTH KOREA.
And ---TAKE HEED! in 6 decades of being
at the forefront of the Cold War, and after
havintg jetliners blown from the sky by
REAL terrorists ---South Korea has
NEVER committed such an outrage.
And remember too, in Korea they're
dealing with an adversary
that's all but invisible --ethnically speaking.
FINALLY, in the US, this is being
added to an enviornment already
saturated with 'SIR--veil--ANTS'
informers and searches.
And as they have yet to pull a single
GENIUNE, non-dubious 'terror suspect'
in 10 year --FEMA camps are, as we write,
being positioned for 'activation'. . .
---------------HUAC/ Nurtemberg 2012---------------
Tenn Slim| 12.18.11 @ 7:34AM
Ah yes, the eternal passage to adulthood.
Who in their right minds wants to achieve adulthood? Why, then you have responsibilities, the baby needs changing, the bills need paying, the "adult" woman needs caring for, and the needs of others goes on and on....
Not a fun picture. Much better to hang out, to watch NFL, drink the latest Kool Aid of the Latest Fundamental Transformation pol. Yes, the one that offers you eternal youth...AKA the guy that tried to discover the fountain of youth, in Florida.
bt
Our great gandparents would have kicked Bu... til this latest crop of idlers chopped enough wood to fill the wood burning, hot as H.. stove, his great grandma cooked on, till H... froze over.
Folks, we reap what we have sown.
Semper Fi
Purp| 12.18.11 @ 10:37PM
"From an economic standpoint, men in their 20s who languish in unending boyhood severely damage their future earning and career prospects. From a social standpoint, such men harm women, and the children produced by their often out-of-wedlock relations, by shrugging off the responsibilities of adulthood." - as a man who did attend graduate school until his late 20's, I can tell you that your article is full of it. This is another Republicant myth to divide us. A myth that people you don't agree with are the unwashed, lazy, good-for-nothings that gives you license to dislike or hate them.
Since you appear to be a young man, I'm thinking you're jealous of those that are in graduate school pursuing advanced degrees, but the question is why?
Gracie| 12.19.11 @ 4:20PM
Why? Probably because he has to pay taxes that the government hands out to sanctimonious children like yourself who demonize him, even while you and your government have your hands in his pocket? I don't dislike liberals/progressives for any other reason than they childishly revel in their entitlement, utopian ideals. Really, why do you need a graduate degree? Sounds like a waste of your time, since you and your "occupy" generation would rather give our Country away to the first dictator offering you free weed and a sleeping bag.